The present invention is related to techniques and mechanisms for managing short messages, such as tweets that are restricted to 140 characters or less, sent between one entity and one or more users over a computer network.
Business or other promoting types of users of the Internet have access to a wide variety of applications that allow them to communicate with selected audiences, such as subscribing customers, regarding topics of interests. One specific example of an online messaging service that can be-used by a business entity is Twitter (a web service that is available at www.twitter.com) that allows a business entity to communicate with one or more subscribing customers about a specific topic, such as a troubleshooting process, using short messages known as “tweets.” In another Twitter example, a commercial user can inform about sales events and advertise specific products or services to subscribing users.
Although short messages or tweets can be used to provide information to subscribing users and limited interactions, there continues to be a need for improved mechanisms for facilitating more effective uses of short messages to inform or help users.